Gemma Dryburgh’s breakthrough win at the TOTO Japan Classic garnered plenty of headlines last year - mostly for the unique prize she took home for her victory.
Dryburgh was given a toilet for her maiden title on the LPGA Tour.
And while Dryburgh’s performance that weekend in Japan gave people plenty of other things to talk about, especially given that she had carded back-to-back rounds of 65 over the final two days at Seta Golf Course to secure a four-stroke victory, it was that toilet that had people talking.
TOTO Ltd. is a bathroom products supplier and in returning to Japan this week Dryburgh couldn’t help but gush about the opportunity to win a second flusher with a successful title defense.
“Hoping for another one of these to add to the collection!” Dryburgh posted on Instagram while posing beside one of TOTO’s toilet models at the tournament on Tuesday.
The prospect of winning another toilet isn’t the only reason Dryburgh is smiling this week as she’s feeling quite confident in herself and her game. It’s a feeling she’s had since getting her first win in Japan last year and she describes the victory as a career-changing moment that affirmed not just her talents but her belief in knowing she can compete amongst, and succeed against, the best in the world.
“It changed my career immensely,” Dryburgh said about her victory last year. “I know I can compete out here and win also. Competing under that pressure, seeing the shots that you can do under that pressure as well, it gives you a lot of confidence.”
Being able to handle that pressure was something that Dryburgh says her caddie, Paul Heselden, helped her to manage by keeping the mood light. Dryburgh has a great sense of humor, clearly able to joke about winning a toilet, and was happy to have Heselden dish out a few jokes over the final round to help her keep at bay the emotions that come with the prospect of becoming a Rolex First-Time Winner on Tour.
“I remember the final round really, really well. Pretty much every shot. Just with my caddie, he had a few jokes for me during the round, so I said this week that he can just have a few jokes up his sleeve on Sunday again,” Dryburgh said about her strategy again this year.
Dryburgh won’t be able to lean on her success last year as the tournament has moved this season to Taihelyo Club Minori Course. And while she does see some similarities in the venues with similar types of grasses and an equally picturesque layout, she says the greens are larger and the course quite different from her win at Seta Golf Course last year. One element she’s hoping will be the same are the large number of fans, which players can count on to turn out in droves when the LPGA Tour competes in Japan.
“They were big crowds as well so that was an amazing feeling to play in front of those big crowds. They were always so nice to the Scottish people and all of us,” Dryburgh said about the turnout last season. “First time experiencing defending, so it's going to be pretty fun and excited to see the crowds is probably my main thing.”
Dryburgh has been renting a house since her victory last year in Japan and hasn’t ordered much less installed her prize toilet. She plans to buy a house in the next year where she’s hopeful she’ll get to use one, maybe even two, TOTO toilets should she have another good weekend in Japan.
“I'm going to get one next year and I can actually use the toilet,” Dryburgh said with a smile about hoping to buy a new home where she can install her toilet. “I'm very excited.”
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